Validation of skills acquired through experience.

Country of implementation

Switzerland

General short description of the innovation

In addition to vocational training, a diploma recognized by the confederation can be obtained also through personal experiences, acquired privately or professionally, which are recognized as a way of acquiring operational competencies relevant for the chosen profession. This innovation stems from the new federal law on vocational training (art. 33), in force since the 1st of January 2004.

Target group

Total Population

Policy Field

education

Type of Policy

public

Duration of the policy

In force since the 1st of January 2004.

Scope of innovation

Scope: structural

Budgets: unknown

Number of intended beneficiaries: unknown

Spatial coverage: national

General description of (intended) objectives and strategies

The aim is to encourage life-long learning and to increase labour market opportunities of low skilled people (without upper secondary education) by formally recognizing experiences through a diploma.

Nature of the innovation-long-term perspective

moderate programmatic change

Type of innovation

new policy, practice or measure

New outputs

learning workplaces (It is hard to assess this, however it is likely to believe that the measure has had an impact in this respect)

lifelong learning (It is hard to assess this, however it is likely to believe that the measure has had an impact in this respect.)

Intended target group

Low qualified workers

Working age population

educational level (low/medium/high) (mainly low, but not exclusively)

income level (low/medium/high) (mainly low)

main source of income: paid work

Actors involved in policy-making/implementation and/or evaluation

central state

employers (organised or individual)

regional government

Clarification of the role of various actors

The confederation is in charge of assuring the quality and development of the global system. Cantons are in charge of the implementation of the validation procedures. The organizations of the world of work are responsible of the content of the initial professional trainings.

Intended output

learning workplaces

lifelong learning

Intended and unintended outcomes

unknown

Clarification of outcomes in terms of impacting resilience and labour market inclusion

Through a recognized diploma, low skilled workers with a consistent experience relevant to their professional sphere have better chances on the labour market.